Drinking Bag

ABSTRACT

A drinking system comprising a pipe adapted to facilitate drinking from a first end of the pipe, a non-return valve unit connectable at a first end of the valve unit to a second end of the pipe, and a bag comprising at least a first layer and a second layer, the layers are connected so that fluid is containable in the bag between the layers, a slantable area on the first layer, facilitated by ribs embedded on the first layer, a first opening, in the slantable area, sealable by a cap, and a connector installed at a second opening, to which the pipe can be connected by the non-return valve, to facilitate drinking of fluids contained in the bag, the non-return valve is configured to enable fluids to flow from the bag to the pipe, while preventing flow of fluids back from the pipe to the bag.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/362,853, filed Jun. 29, 2021, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 633/046,327 filed Jun. 30, 2020, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This application also claims the benefit of Israeli Patent Application No. 277019, filed on Aug. 31, 2020.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

This application claims the benefit pf There exist some known drinking bag systems for hikers, bikers, soldiers etc. The drinking bags enable, for example, comfortable drinking during intense activity. Most of them include at least two large openings in separate locations, with respective caps, for example, one for filling and a separate one for draining the bag.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Some known drinking systems may be heavy and costly, due to including many plastic parts. Some known drinking bags have elongated plastic seals which are naturally bended and therefore may prevent fluid remains from exiting the bag, even if held upside down. This may prevent complete draining of known drinking bags.

The known systems that have multiple openings for filling and draining may have resilience issues due to the many openings, which means many plastic components, which means many soldered parts that may be cause weathering and erosion to the drinking system, for example, at the soldering regions. The many plastic parts may be detached from the system and/or cause other malfunctions to the system as time passes.

Additionally, it may be hard to clean the insides of a known drinking systems, because a hand or a cleaning brush cannot be inserted. Therefore, it may be hard to keep the bag safe and healthy for drinking therefrom.

Known drinking bags are vulnerable for leaking and spilling of the fluids during the filling process, and in some products, they must be held by two hands in the process of filling.

Some aspects of the present disclosure provide a drinking bag comprising: a pipe adapted to facilitate drinking from a first end of the pipe, a non-return valve unit connectable at a first end of the valve unit to a second end of the pipe, and a bag comprising at least a first layer and a second layer, the layers are connected so that fluid is containable in the bag between the layers, a slantable area on the first layer, facilitated by ribs embedded on the first layer, a first opening, in the slantable area, sealable by a cap, and a connector installed at a second opening, to which the pipe can be connected by the non-return valve, to facilitate drinking of fluids contained in the bag when the bag contains fluids, the non-return valve is configured to enable fluids to flow from the bag to the pipe, while preventing flow of fluids back from the pipe to the bag.

Optionally, when no fluid is contained between the layers, they are flattened against each other.

Optionally, the slantable area is a hexagonal area defined by the ribs and by a top side of the bag

Optionally, fluids are pourable into or out from the bag via the opening.

Optionally, two of the ribs are each stretched between two neighboring edges of the bag.

Optionally, each of the two ribs form another corner between an edge of the slantable area and corresponding edges of the bag.

Optionally, each of the corners comprises a corresponding hole.

Optionally, the bag includes a hole for hanging or attaching of the bag, the hole is in a farthest edge of the bag opposite the opening.

Optionally, the hole facilitates hanging of the bag so that the opening is directed downwards, so that complete draining of bag from fluid is enabled.

Optionally, the bag includes a connector, to which a drinking pipe can be connected, to facilitate drinking via the pipe of fluids contained in the bag, when the bag contains fluids.

Optionally, the slantable area is slantable along the ribs, so that the opening is tilted away from the rest of the respective layer.

Optionally, when the slantable area is slanted along the ribs, fluids can be poured via the opening into or out from the bag.

Optionally, the bag is cleanable by inserting a hand or a cleaning brush or a cloth into the bag via the opening.

Optionally, the bag comprises folding lines going from the edges of the slantable area to a distal edge of the bag, thus providing a three-dimensional resilient structure to the bag when filled with fluids.

Optionally, the structure enables holding of the bag with a hand and filling it with fluids, wherein the structure enables firm holding of the bag at the upper region of the bag without squeezing of the bag in its middle.

Optionally, the opening constitutes a single opening both for filling and draining the bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some non-limiting exemplary embodiments or features of the disclosed subject matter are illustrated in the following drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a drinking bag in its flat state, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a schematic illustration of the drinking bag with its filling/draining opening in a slanted state, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view schematic illustration of the drinking bag with its filling/draining opening in a slanted state, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematic illustration of a drinking system including the drinking bag, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

Identical or duplicate or equivalent or similar structures, elements, or parts that appear in one or more drawings are generally labeled with the same reference numeral, optionally with an additional letter or letters to distinguish between similar entities or variants of entities, and may not be repeatedly labeled and/or described. References to previously presented elements are implied without necessarily further citing the drawing or description in which they appear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in the following description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience or clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale or true perspective. For convenience or clarity, some elements or structures are not shown or shown only partially and/or with different perspective or from different point of views.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a schematic illustration of a drinking bag 100 in its flat state, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. Drinking bag 100 includes two layers 18 and 18 a, which constitute two sides of bag 100. In FIG. 1, layer 18 a is exactly behind layer 18. When bag 100 is in its flat state, for example, an area of the internal side of layer 18 a can be seen through an opening 10 in layer 18. Between layers 18 and 18 a, a fluid can be contained. When no fluid is contained between layers 18 and 18 a, for example as presented in FIG. 1, they may be flattened against each other, for example with substantially no gap. For example, in some embodiments, three liters of fluid can be contained within bag 100, e.g. between layers 18 and 18 a.

Bag 100 and/or layers 18 and 18 a may include and/or be made of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU).

On layer 18, drinking bag 100 may include a slantable area 12, for example facilitated by ribs 16 a-16 e. Ribs 16 a-16 e may be folding lines embedded in layer 18. For example, slantable area 12 may be a hexagonal area defined by ribs 16 a-16 e and by a side 16 f, which may be integrated with an edge of bag 100. However, the disclosure is not limited to a hexagonal area 12, and area 12 may be of any other suitable shape and/or with any other suitable number and/or position of ribs. Slantable area 12 may include opening 10, via which fluids can be poured into and/or out from bag 100. Opening 10 may be configured to be closed by a cap. For example, opening 10 may have a screw thread formed on an external lip 11 of opening 10, configured to enable a corresponding screw cap to close opening 10. In some embodiments, opening 10 may have a diameter of about 80 millimeters, and/or may be made of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU).

Ribs 16 a and 16 e may each be stretched between two neighboring edges of bag 100. For example, each of ribs 16 a and 16 e may form another triangular corner 13 between the edge of area 12 and the corresponding edges of bag 100. Corners 13 may include corresponding holes 14, which may be used for example, for hanging, attaching, and/or tying of bag 100. Further, bag 100 may include a hole 15, for example, for hanging/attaching of bag 100, in the distal edge of bag 100, e.g. the farthest edge opposite opening 10. Further, bag 100 may include a connector 17, to which a drinking pipe can be connected, for example to facilitate drinking via the pipe of fluids contained in the bag, when the bag contains fluids.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 2A and 2B, which are side view and perspective view schematic illustrations of drinking bag 100 with its filling/draining opening 10 and/or area 12 in a slanted state, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Slantable area 12 may be slanted along ribs 16 b-16 d, so that opening 10 and/or area 12 are tilted away from the rest of layer 18. When area 12 is slanted along ribs 16 a-16 e, fluids can be poured via opening 10 into and/or out from bag 100. Additionally, the insides of bag 100 may be cleaned by inserting a hand and/or a cleaning brush or a cloth into bag 100 via opening 10. In some embodiments, bag 100 may further include folding lines 19 from the edges of area 12 to the distal edge of bag 100, thus providing a three-dimensional structure to bag 100 when filled with fluids. This structure enables holding of bag 100, for example with one hand, and filling it with fluids. Leaking and spilling of the fluids during the filling process is less likely, due to the structure that enables firm holding of the bag at the upper region of the bag without squeezing of the bag in its middle. Accordingly, bag 100 can transform from an almost two-dimensional sheet when empty to a three-dimensional structure when filled with fluids.

Some known drinking bags have elongated plastic seals which are naturally bended and therefore may prevent fluid remains from exiting the bag, even if held upside down. This may prevent complete draining of known drinking bags. However, in drinking bag 100, hole 15 facilitates hanging of bag 100 so that opening 10 is directed downwards, so that complete draining of bag 100 from fluid is enabled. This makes any additional draining openings redundant, and thus it saves plastics of additional openings and caps. Therefore, bag 100 may be lighter in weight than other known bags, which may have multiple openings for filling and for draining the bag. Moreover, the structure of bag 100 enables better and faster ventilation and draining of bag 100 than other known drinking bags. When bag 100 is hanged with opening 10 facing downwards, for example hanged by hole 15, it may be ventilated and drained easily and quickly.

Additionally, drinking bag 100 may be more resilient than known drinking bags which have multiple openings for filling and draining. Less openings means less plastic components, which means less soldered parts that may be cause weathering and erosion to bag 100, for example at the soldering regions, and may be detached from bag 100 along time and/or cause other malfunctions to bag 100 with time. Drinking bag 100 may be cost-effective due to the small number of parts and its resiliency.

Opening 10 may be large enough so that a user can insert their hand, a cleaning brush or a cloth into the bag to clean the bag from inside, thus, keeping the bag safe and healthy for drinking therefrom.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematic illustration of a drinking system 300 including drinking bag 100, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, drinking system 300 includes a non-return valve 36, pipe adaptor 37 and a pipe 34. For example, non-return valve 36 is connectable to connector 17. Non-return valve 36 may include a connector enabling a pipe connection to pipe 34, for example via pipe adaptor 37, and a valve that enables fluids to flow from bag 100 to pipe 34 and prevents flow of fluids back from pipe 34 to bag 100. This is important for keeping the fluids inside bag 100 clean. Adaptor 37 may adapt the connector of valve 36, for example its diameter, for connection with pipe 34. Pipe 34 may be made of, for example, antibacterial material, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and/or Polypropylene (PP). System 300 may further include a protective sleeve 35 that may insulate pipe 34, for example, from heat.

System 300 may further include a drinking spout 31, which may be connectable to the distal end of pipe 34 by a connector 33. Connector 33 may include a non-return valve that enables fluids to flow from pipe 34 to spout 31 and prevents flow of fluids back from spout 33 to pipe 34. Drinking spout 31 may include, for example, a half-turn opening mechanism, enabling opening of the spout by half-turn to drink from spout 31 by suckling, and closing spout 31 by half-turning it back. System 300 may further include a cap 32 for covering spout 31.

System 300 may include a ring 30 for mounting around lip 11/opening 10. Ring 30 may be configured to facilitate connection of system 300/bag 100 to another item for example a backpack.

System 300 may include a cap 38 for covering opening 10, for example configured to close opening 10 by screw-threading on lip 11. Cap 38 may include connector 39 that enables connection of cap 38 to bag 100, ring 30 and/or lip 11, for example by a string, so that cap 38 will not fall or get lost.

In the context of some embodiments of the present disclosure, by way of example and without limiting, terms such as ‘operating’ or ‘executing’ imply also capabilities, such as ‘operable’ or ‘executable’, respectively.

Conjugated terms such as, by way of example, ‘a thing property’ implies a property of the thing, unless otherwise clearly evident from the context thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprising”, “including” and/or “having” and other conjugations of these terms, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The terminology used herein should not be understood as limiting, unless otherwise specified, and is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosed subject matter. While certain embodiments of the disclosed subject matter have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents are not precluded. 

1. A drinking system comprising: a pipe adapted to facilitate drinking from a first end of the pipe; a non-return valve unit connectable at a first end of the valve unit to a second end of the pipe; and a bag comprising: at least a first layer and a second layer, the layers are connected so that fluid is containable in the bag between the layers; a slantable area on the first layer, facilitated by ribs embedded on the first layer; a first opening, in the slantable area, sealable by a cap; and a connector installed at a second opening, to which the pipe can be connected by the non-return valve, to facilitate drinking of fluids contained in the bag when the bag contains fluids, the non-return valve is configured to enable fluids to flow from the bag to the pipe, while preventing flow of fluids back from the pipe to the bag.
 2. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein when no fluid is contained between the layers, they are flattened against each other.
 3. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein the slantable area is a hexagonal area defined by the ribs and by a top side of the bag
 4. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein fluids are pourable into or out from the bag via the opening.
 5. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein two of the ribs are each stretched between two neighboring edges of the bag.
 6. The drinking bag of claim 5, wherein each of the two ribs form another corner between an edge of the slantable area and corresponding edges of the bag.
 7. The drinking bag of claim 6, wherein each of the corners comprises a corresponding hole.
 8. The drinking bag of claim 1, comprising a hole for hanging or attaching of the bag, the hole is in a farthest edge of the bag opposite the opening.
 9. The drinking bag of claim 8, wherein the hole facilitates hanging of the bag so that the opening is directed downwards, so that complete draining of bag from fluid is enabled.
 10. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein the slantable area is slantable along the ribs, so that the opening is tilted away from the rest of the respective layer.
 11. The drinking bag of claim 11, wherein when the slantable area is slanted along the ribs, fluids can be poured via the opening into or out from the bag.
 12. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein the bag is cleanable by inserting a hand or a cleaning brush or a cloth into the bag via the opening.
 13. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein the bag comprises folding lines going from the edges of the slantable area to a distal edge of the bag, thus providing a three-dimensional resilient structure to the bag when filled with fluids.
 14. The drinking bag of claim 14, wherein the structure enables holding of the bag with a hand and filling it with fluids, wherein the structure enables firm holding of the bag at the upper region of the bag without squeezing of the bag in its middle.
 15. The drinking bag of claim 1, wherein the opening constitutes a single opening both for filling and draining the bag. 